Thursday, May 30, 2013

I am so glad
I downloaded Pat Hatt’s Cassie
children’s book series to my kindle this week! I need look no further whenever
I need a laugh! The antics of these two friends, Cassie and the Wild Cat are
positively hysterical.

From the very
beginning, where Cassie and Wild Cat are clearly stuffed, going back in time, through
the journey of how they go that way, I found myself smiling and laughing out
loud at these two crazy cats. Wild Cat obviously has won Cassie’s heart and he
in turn would do anything for her.

Together
they “confront” (I use the term loosely here), the little critter who tries to
outsmart them – the bug in the rug. Think Tom & Jerry cartoons for a
moment. Only Cassie and Wild Cat are Tom – two against one, I know, but hey,
great minds think alike. You can’t help but love all the characters, and as
much as you want to cheer on one or the other, you simply can’t do that either,
because all of these characters are positively charming, mischievous and way
too much fun.

Cassie &
the Wild Cat Bug in the Rug definitely has a place on my Recommended Reading Page at the top of this blog. Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll get a kick
out of this one!

Note: M. J. receives no compensation for book
reviews on this site. The books she chooses to review are completely random, based
on a variety of factors; she shares information solely on the basis of her
personal opinion, be it good, bad or indifferent.

Monday, May 27, 2013

I found
myself laughing out loud as I read Cassie
and the Wild Cat Meet and Greet by Pat Hatt. The antics played by one “dominant
feline” on a newcomer and the poetry used to express them are actually quite
funny. So is the fact that I could literally visualize cats doing these things
to each other.

Pat shares
some pretty cool cats in this story. Cassie comes off as a little (spoiled) princess,
while Wild Cat is one of those stud types that is completely oblivious to
Cassie’s antics; he uses them all to his advantage, however, as he struts his
stuff throughout the story.

The story is
one of “I’m not so sure I want to get to know you” to “I’m glad you didn’t take
offense, because when all is said and done, you’re a pretty fun friend to have.”
I think we’ve all been there, done that at one time or another, which is one of
the reasons I’m glad I read this story. I also think this is a very positive
message for kids – a good thing because Cassie
and the Wild Cat Meet and Greet is a children’s story, complete with some
very cute and lively illustrations.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Heaven is for Real is one of those quick read, feel
good books. I started reading it yesterday, after finishing The Light Between Oceans, and finished it this morning. As much as I’d like
to add to the many accolades this book has received, I have to admit that the
hype I’d heard about it was a bit over the top.

I’m not
doubting little Colton met Jesus in Heaven while he was having major surgery or
anything. I just feel like this story was written by a very proud papa who saw
an opportunity, not only in his work as a Wesleyan pastor living and working in
a small town in Nebraska, but also as a witness who could earn a decent salary
selling books.

Heaven is for Real is a simple story, one that Todd
Burpo, Colton’s father, continuously clarifies and defends throughout the book.
Among the many things that stood out was Todd’s insistence that he never
prodded or coached his son to share Jesus revelations about his experience
visiting Heaven. Clearly this is a contradiction in the book; I read numerous
passages where Todd wanted to know more and persisted in getting Colton to open
up and tell more. The impression I get is that Todd was consumed by what had
happened and he was all over it.

Another
thing that was noteworthy is that, according to the story, Colton was only in Heaven for approximately
three minutes. Yet the years of revelations (necessary
to get the story written) indicate a much longer experience must have taken
place. Granted, Colton was in surgery, and even though he didn’t die, he had an
out of body adventure and sat on Jesus’ lap. It just seems odd that this little
three year old boy had an out of body experience that lasted less than five
minutes, only to end up talking about it for several years to come, in such a
way that everyone was amazed by his wisdom and understanding of the Gospel, Heaven,
Hell and what happens when we die.

Please don’t
get me wrong. There are lots of neat ideas in this book. Clearly Todd’s
pastoring and sermon writing come into play as he draws on Biblical references
to affirm his conversations with his son. Perhaps that’s part of the problem.
So much of the story seems staged, rehearsed and practiced. It could be the
fault of the editors, I suppose, but the whole thing didn’t quite sit right
with me and is a bit unbelievable – not the part where Colton goes to Heaven,
mind you, but all the family time revolving around Colton’s revelations of
visiting Jesus, John the Baptist and numerous other people – except Mary, who
is after all Jesus’ mother. (I always
feel bad for the kid singled out in a family, regardless of the reasons why. I
can’t help but wonder about the toll it takes on the other siblings in the
family, as well as the toll of living up to such a role has on the kid
himself.)

I don’t know
a whole lot about the Wesleyan religion, but I’d venture to guess this book
follows very closely with their beliefs. Determining if this is true or not isn’t
the purpose of this blog post, however, so I’ll simply refer you to a comparison chart of various Christian denominations and if you feel the need, you can
research it further.

Taken with a
grain of salt, this book is a nice, warm fuzzy faith story, revolving around
Christian principles. It’s also a neat family story, for those who like to peer
into the lives of others and get a glimpse of how other families live. Think
reality t.v. show here – you only see what they really want to show you, and
you only travel the path they purposely lead you on.

I’m not
going to add this book to my recommended reading page or pass out links for
this book. It’s okay and all, but nothing to write home about.

Isabel and
Tom could easily be our neighbors, friends and family members. At the same time, they
are strangers living a life few people could understand, a life full of
blessings and curses, each demanding choices be made to satisfy the hunger in
their uniquely individual, yet inseparable human souls.

Tom’s is a
wounded soul, emblazoned by his participation as a soldier in World War I.
Isabel is a young soul, destined to invigorate Tom’s soul, giving it new life
separate from the haunting memories of his past. Once these two souls meet,
there is no turning back. Theirs is a destiny challenged by the thrill of
adventure, the irony of isolation and the injury of loss, devastation and
hopelessness.

Set in a
small town of Australia, venturing out to sea and onto an isolated island where
Tom is a lighthouse keeper, a tale of mixed proportions unfolds. One minute
readers are delighted to follow a love story that was meant to be, the next
they are swept into a web of deception so unexpected, they long to hate the
characters they’ve come to know and love so well.

I heard
myself cursing Isabel under my breath as I read without sympathy the story of a
monster. Sure, she had reasons for making her choices, but she also still had
choices and her reasons simply weren’t good enough, not when other people would
most assuredly be affected by and pay the consequences for her actions.

I wanted to
take Tom’s face in my hands and shake some common sense into him. I know Izzy
was his wife, but please. If you love her, do the right thing for her and get
her some professional help already. This woman isn’t quite right in the head.
Nor should she be after all that she’s been through. Whatever you do, don’t
follow her down the path straight into hell!

Hannah, poor
dear, I don’t know that she could have fared any better, considering her plight
in the story. Little Lucy-Grace was caught in the crossfire of it all, the one
light that shone brightly amidst all the darkness, though it was her life
affected most of all.

The Light
between Oceans holds nothing back and offers few frills for the human
experience. This is a story that could easily play out in numerous lives,
anytime, anywhere. Change the backdrop, era and people (not characters) and
this is life unfolding over several generations. It is a heart-wrenching, gut
twisting story of circumstance meets emotions. Emotions win for a while – quite
a while in fact, and too many lives will never be the same again.

The Light
Between the Oceans is available through Goodreads
and Amazon.
I picked my copy up from the second hand bookstore near the mall. It is an
award winning novel that I personally enjoyed reading, not only because of the
story itself, but also because of the brief glimpses of history and geography
revealed in its telling.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

First,
comment reciprocation can and will hijack people’s threads on Google +. It was
not a pleasant experience and I’m so sorry I didn’t anticipate it happening, as
well as to those affected by this.

Second, non-Google
+ users can no longer comment on my blogs. I’ve got some amazing followers and
your comments mean the world to me. I have no intention of censoring or
blocking you from commenting on my blogs.

Update: Please read this post to make your own informed decision about switching to Google + comments on your blogs. I know. I
know. But this is cutting edge networking, dear people. “If it ain’t broke, don’t
fix it,” and all that stuff. Remember when we felt that way about Twitter,
Pinterest and all the other ones that increase our page views now?

No. This
post is not a marketing ploy to help people understand Google products better.
It’s a plea with all of you to edit your Google profiles and include your
sites, blogs and any other links you want people to click on in them. It’s a
request to make it easier on those who visit your Google profile so we can find
your sites and comment at will. When I visit your About Me section, I want to
know where you work. I want to be able to find your pages and visit them at
will.

One of the
things I noticed since switching to Google comments the other day is that I’m
taken to Google profiles, as opposed to blog ones. I scroll and find all sorts
of things, mainly from things you’ve said on other people’s posts. Some of
these posts are interesting and I’m glad to find them on your page. Still, I’m
on a mission to find and comment on your blog, since you were kind enough to do
the same for me.

Maybe the
solution is to include a link right there in your comment, whenever you comment
on someone’s blog…you know, the siggy thing. I noticed it’s not as neat now
that I’m using Google + comments. People’s siggys are showing up in html, when
before they were the name of their site, with the link hidden in the
background. Guess it’s no biggie that I never figured out how to make those
html siggys now, since using Google + comments doesn’t hide them anyway.

Marketing Yourself Effectively is Key

It doesn’t
matter what tools you use for social networking and how you go about it. What
matters is that your social networking tools (all of them) make it as easy as
possible for people to find you and click on your links.

Maybe you
don’t use Google + and have no intention of doing so. That’s your choice and
you have every right to make it. However, there are thousands of people who do,
so making it easy on them will only be to your ultimate benefit.

Thank you
for visiting Writing Tips.

M. J.

Photo
credit: Chart semiotics of social
networking, LuckyCharm54, public domain

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Update...Please read this post to make your own informed decision. After weeks
of sitting on the fence, I’ve finally made the switch to enable Google+ for the
comments on my blogs last night. I’m not sure what exactly triggered my
decision; it just seemed to make sense at the time.

Adding
Google + comments appears to be a good decision as a blog owner. All my
comments are readily available in my Google account, without having to open my
blogger dashboard. Replies are as easy as clicking on the notice regarding new
comments on my post.

Adding
Google + comments may have a similar effect for my visitors. Making their
comments more public gives them more exposure. Writing tip – write comments that will get people to click on your name
because they want to find out more about you, based on your intuitive wisdom to
the posts you visit.

Oh that we
could all write words of wisdom, insight and wittiness every time we make the
rounds in Blog Land. Regardless, I’m expanding my presence in Blog Land via Google +
comments. It seems to be the right decision for my blogs.

Do you like
the new comment system? Does it make you nervous? Have you added Google +
comments to your blog? How do you feel about all the recent Google changes in
Blog Land and on Google +?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Today’s
writing prompt is brought to you by Bill Nicholls. Take a look at the picture on Bill’s blog and write something
about it for your own blog. Be sure and let Bill know his work inspired yours,
by commenting on his post and linking. Here’s mine.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Last week
was heavy. I spent a lot of time thinking about a few things. I spent hours at the
park. The weather was favorable and I knew this is only temporary, so I took
the dog and we enjoyed our time outside walking around the lake, feeding the
ducks and geese, playing and reading in the grass under a shady tree. I didn’t
bring my camera or anything. No pics to share, just lots of abstract thoughts
that led to the writing of three new poems I’ve been working on for a few days
now. I’m sharing them on different blogs – visit my Google + page if you want
to read them all; I expect to have each one published in the not too distant
future.

This poem
came about because in the past three months, two of my siblings have been
hospitalized for illnesses that could easily have ended their lives. My sister
just got out of the hospital last week. Phone calls seem so trivial, but it’s
all I’ve got since I haven’t lived in my home town for many years now. One of
the things that touched my heart is how easy it might be for anger to be the
last words on our lips or in our hearts. Thankfully this wasn’t the case with
my brother and sister and I, because anger is fleeting. Yet it has the power to
destroy us if we let it.

This poem was inspired by a post on the blog, It’s Rhyme Time by Pat Hatt. I’m
not sure if you remember me mentioning this in my comment to you, Pat, but I
said I would save my lengthier poetic reply for my own blog, once I finished
working on it. Here’s the finished product. Wish I had time to find the exact
post you wrote that inspired this one. If you know it easily enough, please put
a link to it in my comments. Thanks.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

It’s so nice
to be blogging again after taking a few necessary days off during the first
half of the month. I spent the morning doing outside things. My blogging routine
is about to change for summer weather conditions. Extreme heat has arrived; I’ll
be blogging more in the afternoon, as opposed to early morning for the next few
months.

Hunger Games

It’s been
whirl wind between the A – Z Challenge and my oldest graduating from college
last week. Before I forget, I want to talk about Hunger Games. I read the book last April and promptly watched the
movie. For those who don’t know the story, it’s about a fantasy culture where
government has pretty much taken over, wreaking havoc on society by scaring
everyone to death.

People
became complacent, abiding by every rule, even ones that didn’t make sense and
harmed them or their families. (I’m
purposely not sharing specifics for those who might decide to read the book.) There
are plenty of other sites to find the information. This post is not intended to
be a synopsis or book report. My thoughts about Hunger Games went in an entirely different direction.

It’s been
years since I’ve picked up a book I couldn’t put down. I read Hunger Games in less than four days. It
was so good, I watched the movie afterward. It wasn’t my intention to read the
book. My daughter had checked it out from the library; she read it first, in only
three days. I picked it up and the same thing happened to me.

The opening
was the draw and catch. There was no lag time trying to get into the story and
what it was about. From the very first paragraph, you wanted to know more – you
had to read more. It lured you in and continued luring you throughout the
story.

Symbolism
was a main backdrop throughout the book. This is society if things get out of
control. Mind games and manipulation are very real and power struggles are more
than a little dangerous, especially if the people (the general population and average
citizens) lose their right to refute the powers that be.

Had I not
read the book first, much of the intensity of the story would have been lost on
me. My husband didn’t read the book. He watched the movie with me. I found myself
filling in the blanks for him. From the very beginning of the movie, the
premise was difficult to follow, without knowledge and insight into the story
from reading the book.

Many things were
omitted in the movie. There were undoubtedly numerous reasons for this, not the
least of which appears to be the movie would have been an epic adventure
lasting at least four hours or more if they were included. There’s just no way
to pack that much into a movie script, though the writing in the book captured
numerous condensed scenarios for its readers.

So there you
have it…a brief commentary on Hunger Games.
I like the book much more than the movie, and I highly recommend reading the
book if you haven’t already. Be prepared to let everything else fall by the
wayside when you do. It’s that good and if you’re like me and my daughter, you
won’t be able to put it down.

Thanks for
visiting Writing Tips. Things are starting to settle down around here again, so
I should be posting more frequently now….barring the unstoppable book
absorption. Summer reading has begun and my list of books seems to be growing
every single day.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Ah life! And then we make cheesecake – something I’ll be starting tomorrow for the gathering expected here on Saturday. We do what we do; priorities and routines a guideline charting the path of our existence.

April was focused primarily on blogging every day. May is focused on family and the end of the school year. My two daughters finish their last college exams today, the oldest achieving her college degree after years of hard work and study. My son still has a few weeks to finish out his third year of high school. Hopefully the weather will continue to favor these last days before the extreme heat kicks in and makes it almost impossible to think or function.

I’ve been cleaning – stepping back and doing some of those annual deep and dirty jobs that can’t be ignored, especially with monsoon season right around the corner.

Gardening season is almost at an end, though some die-hard gardeners make a point to work in the yard even when it’s 118 degrees Fahrenheit outside. I’ve thought about it, but something always holds me back – like common sense and the knowledge that no matter how hard you try, Mother Nature has a way of turning you into a fool, either by frying your plants or giving you heat ailments that mess with your body for weeks.

Instead, I prepare the house and get it ready to be the cool retreat for anyone seeking shelter from the storm – dust storms, to be exact, extreme heat, torrents of rain and flashes of lightning. Summer is coming! It’s a site to see in these parts, one you have to experience to understand.

I’ve got some catching up to do in Blog Land still; my pace has slowed, but I’m getting to it as time allows. Spring is in the air in these parts, and I’ll be closed up in my cave before long. There’s still time to walk the dog by the lake and enjoy the breeze. There’s still time to get out and about, before getting in the car is a major production, forcing you to put on gloves just so you can touch the steering wheel because it’s too hot. There’s still time to dig and clean up the yard and prepare it for next year’s seeds. The heat will sterilize the soil, no worries there.

Regarding the cheesecake – gourmet, Grand Marnier with strawberries and candied orange peel. Takes two days to make….yes, cheesecake is my signature dessert, and since we’re celebrating our oldest graduating from college, only the best will do.

Happy Wednesday, good people! Thanks for stopping in and visiting today!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Riddles,
writing tip quips and root word expansions made for a fun and exhilarating
combination in this year’s challenge on our Writing Tips blog. I may be the
author, but without all of you this blog would be nothing more than a tree
falling in the forest, with no one around to hear it.

This blog
transformed, becoming interactive and lots of fun during the challenge. I came
here to laugh and play. I came here to visit my friends and be silly with them.
I came here to wind down and get a pick me up.

When the
Challenge finished up last Tuesday, I looked around and realized how much I
still had to do. So many blogs, so little time type thing. I didn’t even
realize the following day was IWSG, until I read Alex’s blog first thing
Wednesday morning while the coffee was brewing. Deep breath time – I had plenty
to say.

As for the hopping…well,
let’s just say I slowed down my pace a bit out of necessity. People are pouring
out their hearts on these blogs. They are sharing their talents, juggling their
time and inviting some stranger like me living in Arizona to get to know them. I
can’t take that lightly. I won’t take that lightly. These people are amazing,
beautiful, talented and to put it mildly, making the understatement of the year
– phenomenal.

So about two
or three weeks into the challenge, I stepped back and truly started taking my
time, engaging with each new blogger through each individual blog post. I’m
doing the same thing with all my blog hops now. It’s not a race to the finish,
but an opportunity to be open to whatever comes my way. Each visit I make to a
blog is an experience to be cherished and savored – appreciated.

I look at the
comments on my own blogs this way now too. Traffic increased on all my blogs.
At first it was all I could do to keep up. Then I created a system, answering
in bulk as quickly as I could. It wasn’t working for me. I slowed down so I
could listen to my audience better, and respond more effectively, as opposed to
efficiently. To that end, I’m still playing catch up on some A – Z comments for
the last few days of posts. Again, it’s necessary. It’s an expression of my
true personality and how I want to participate in Blog Land.

This year was
wonderful. I learned a lot – much of it is still filtering through my soul.
Time will tell how it reveals itself. For now, my glass is raised and my hat is
tipped to all of you. Cheers!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

It doesn’t
happen very often, but every once in a while I get drawn into a comment
conversation on a blog. It can be mine or anyone else’s. The topic is hot,
politically charged and opinions (complete with emotions) are clearly expressed.
When this happens on my own blogs, as long as the conversation remains civil, I
let everyone say what they will, thank them for engaging in the discussion and
let visitors make up their own minds.

As you know,
I don’t pre-approve comments or anything like that. If someone spams me, I’ll
delete it. The rest of you are welcome to express yourself on my blogs, as long
as you’re above board and not degrading to my work, me or others here. You don’t
even have to like my work. Simply put, hate, slander and garbage will be
deleted. It’s offensive regardless of who or what it’s directed toward.

Yesterday, I
engaged in a conversation on someone’s blog about gun control. My first comment
was fairly open ended. The reply to it confused my meaning and beliefs. So I
politely clarified in a second comment. Comments have to be approved before
being published. Since that time, several comments from other people have been
approved. All are in agreement with the blog owner, and all replies to them are
flattering and of a collective mind-set – all
except my comment which clarifies the meaning of my first comment and doesn’t
appear to agree with the political position expressed in the blog post.

I’m being patient
and checking back regularly to see if my comments are being censored. More
importantly, I’m curious to see if commenting on this blog puts me in a
position of furthering someone’s agenda of fighting for beliefs I clearly don’t
agree with. My initial comment in conjunction with blog owner’s reply clearly
twists my meaning, which could ultimately leads toward people thinking I stand
behind something I clearly don’t agree with, as clarified by my second comment
which has not been published.

The way I
see it, I have no choice but to delete my first comment, if my second comment
remains censored. Unfortunately, this experience will likely prevent me from
further commenting on this person’s blog and perhaps some other blogs too. I
don’t want to become cynical or anything, but I don’t want my words and
meanings twisted and used against me like this either.

My writing
tip for you today is simple. If you don’t want to be open to all opinions when
you publically publish your blog, don’t invite all opinions to be expressed on
it. If you do invite all opinions, be sure you accept them for what they are
and allow everyone to take the stand they feel and believe is appropriate to
the issues and opinions you express on your blog. Whatever you do, don’t twist
someone’s meaning, using their name to further your own agenda.

Gun Control
is a topic better suited for Effectively Human. I haven’t written the post yet.
It’s moved up on my priority list because of this experience. All comments and
viewpoints will be welcome, provided they are civil and show respect for anyone
and everyone who visits, regardless of whether or not they agree with me.

How would you handle being censored in a divisive issue, where your opinion clearly differs from the one expressed in the article and other comments published?

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Diving in
was never an issue. I dove in and swam straight for the bottom to see what I
could see; I knew it would be really cool and I’d find all sorts of treasures
and unique inspirations, things that would delight and intrigue me in ways I
never dreamed of. I was not disappointed in my journey toward the ocean floor.

I’m one of
those people with so many ideas darting in and out of my brain. Sometimes it’s
like grabbing the brass ring as the merry-go-round spins round and round,
aiming for the clown’s mouth and hoping all the bells and whistles go off,
meaning I get to collect a prize when the ride is over. Other times it’s like, “Turn
it off already! I just need some time to think and it’s impossible to do so
with all these distractions popping in and out of my head all the time!”

I’m insecure
about rushing through and missing something. Consequently, I’m always grabbing
myself by the sleeve and reminding myself to slow down, telling myself the
world will keep on spinning if I take the time to breathe and enjoy each day as
it comes. I make a point to give myself permission to listen to my soul much
more than my mind and body. It’s not about racing, but engaging in the journey
and being part of the event.

To that end,
many ideas have disappeared like vapor into thin air. I may have been sitting
on the couch drinking my coffee, watering the garden, changing the laundry – no
writing tools in hand or nearby. I may have believed or convinced myself they were solid enough that
I could remember them later – almost never happens, but it’s a good ruse I like
to use when all else fails.

Take this
post for example. It’s been written at least three times in my brain already.
You’re getting a fourth version – the hard copy because I’m sitting at my
computer as it releases. Life seems to happen this way. In a fleeting
moment, we miss the glimpse of something carried away on the wind – all because
we were looking in the other direction when it came to pass. I’m okay with that.
My solution to so many ideas is to slow down and breathe. The water is fine,
but no one can stay down there forever.

Search This Blog

Translate

About Me

I'm a free spirit, filled with creative energy! I enjoy doing many things, including gardening, sports, crafts, cooking, to name a few. For relaxation, I prefer to hang by a water source like the ocean, a river or lake, something like that. I also really enjoy getting lost in a good book, and of course, writing...sometimes nonstop...

Google+ Followers

Proud Member of...

Copyright Notice

No work posted on this site may be shared without written consent from the owner. Please contact me at mjjoachimswriting@gmail.com for more information, or to republish work found on this site. Thank you.

Note to Consumers

This site uses Google Adsense, which adds to my penny jar when you view and click on them (pay per 1,000 page views, pay per click revenue share). This is me complying with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) Government Blogging Guidelines. As always, thank you for visiting and supporting this site.

Followers

Subscribe To

Follow by Email

Review Requests Welcome

M. J. does not receive any compensation for reviewing books, apps, products etc. Everything is reviewed based on its own merit, which M. J. thoughtfully and thoroughly considers prior to publishing reviews. It is strongly suggested that people requesting reviews follow this blog via email, since that is the easiest and fastest way to find out if M. J. has reviewed their submitted book or product. M. J. receives review requests consistently throughout each week, so please be patient while waiting for your review. If you would like your book reviewed, please email a copy of it to mjjoachimswriting@gmail.com Thank you.